Apple Cider Roast
Was pot roast a staple in your childhood home, too? There is something so quintessentially wintery about the smell of a huge cut of meat slowly braising in the oven all day. I’ve taken those feelings and added apples and onions with a bit of herbaceous savoriness to make the pot roast of your dreams. I’ve taken out the ever present baby carrots and potatoes, but we’ll serve it with a soft bed of garlic mashed potatoes to ground the sweetness and soak up the luscious juices. This is one of my favorite meals for a dark January day, especially when the work is done before noon.
Ingredients:
2-3 pound chuck roast
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 apple, sliced thinly
2 cups apple cider OR juice
2 cups of broth (chicken or beef)
6 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of your knife
2 tablespoons thyme, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325. Bring a dutch oven to medium heat and melt the butter inside. Meanwhile, season the roast with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each side with flour. Brown the roast on each side. It will smoke and splatter a bit, but the added flavor is worth it, I promise! Once both sides are browned, take out the meat and add the apple cider. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan while the apple cider warms up. Add the roast back into the pot and scatter the sliced onions and apples on top. Pour the broth over top and scatter the garlic cloves, bay leaves, and thyme among it all. Give it all a little nudge with your wooden spoon so they all snuggle in together. Pop your lid on and put it in the oven for about 3-4 hours, until the meat is so tender that it falls apart when you pierce it with a fork. Shred the meat, removing any particularly fatty or chewy bits and let it soak up the gravy a bit. Enjoy!
(You can also do this in your instant pot, just saute in the IP and cook at high pressure for about 90 minutes. You may need to add another 20-30 if it isn’t quite fork tender.)
